Throttling back

My BB is being throttled back again, had loads of trouble in 2017 then after a few chats with Plusnet the problem got sorted in other words they stopped throttling my BB. This worked for most of the year, now this year 2019 It has started again more so at the weekends.

Trying to use online CHAT is proving difficult always busy regardless of time of day or it's offline, why cant I send in an email?

Re: Throttling back

This problem manifests itself over my wifi connection but only at weekends, it has happened again this weekend. I check my BB speed virtually daily sometimes more via "Speed test now" an add on within Chrome on my laptop also with OOKLA on my ipad. these two give almost identical readings. I must add that usually weekday's my bb speed goes back to normal which is appox 4.6 mbps quite the 5.2 mbps my line capability as stated by plusnet in fact I have never recieved this upper figure.

The reason this happens only at the weekend is because plusnet throttle me back, alway's denied I might add but there is no other explanation for it. Why this is most annoying at the weekends is that's when we as a family use netflix and it buffers and when I check my bb speed it is throttled back by appox 1 mbps sometimes even more. This is not acceptable.

This could indicate that your area could be running at high capacity, as others around you also would (likely) be using their connections too - it could also be how much you, as a family, are using because

more so at the weekends.

From what PN have said:

We've tested your line and we've been unable to find any issues with your connection only having had 2 drops in the past 40 days.

The connection itself would appear to be very stable, though this

your router is connected to the exchange at a rate of 5.2mbps

might be a factor. Netflix, for example needs (IIRC) a minimum speed of 1.5 Mbps, again if it's in HD, then I think it requires 5.0 Mbps, which would mean it's using all of your speed

This problem manifests itself over my wifi connection but only at weekends

You really could do with checking the wifi in your area, an app like WiFi Analyser can show you what other networks are 'tuned' into, for example, if you and others around you are on channel 1, try 6 or 11. It could also be, without me knowing, the fact that during the week some of you family could be at school/college and therefore you wouldn't witness the issues but at weekends everyone is using their phones etc.

Also, carrying out speed tests when others connected to the router and using their devices will give incorrect speed results. You need to test when nothing else is connected except a device connected via an ethernet cable only. WiFi speed tests will often be incorrect, but not always.

You (and I) need to prove these issues are not our fault by checking with an ethernet cable and nothing else using the connection

I totally understand your reasoning when we say

The reason this happens only at the weekend is because plusnet throttle me back

It could well be the infrastructure (Openreach) that's causing the issues and not actually PN....

Re: Throttling back

The reason this happens only at the weekend is because plusnet throttle me back, alway's denied I might add but there is no other explanation for it. Why this is most annoying at the weekends is that's when we as a family use netflix and it buffers and when I check my bb speed it is throttled back by appox 1 mbps sometimes even more. This is not acceptable.

I think that you should forget your Plusnet conspiracy theory and concentrate on the physics. If other users on your exchange are also using their devices for streaming then the crosstalk will be increasing, which could be slowing your speed through error correction or there could be congestion on your exchange.

Closer to home, are you trying to test your speed whilst the rest of your family are still using the internet? You have very limited bandwidth compared with most users and you can only use it once, so speed tests are only valid if all the other users disconnect from the internet whilst you are doing a speed test. Have you considered, if the option is available, upgrading to fibre?

Re: Throttling back

I've checked things our side including for any congestion at the exchange, and there's nothing to suggest your speeds are being throttled. It may be possible the issue is simply down to interference on the wireless signal.

Are you able to connect a laptop or computer into your router using an ethernet cable for testing purposes?